Invaluable Information When Buying a House

11th July 2013

Buying A House?

We know that buying a house is a very exciting time but it is also one of the most important and serious financial decisions that most of us will ever make. Here are a few helpful points which will hopefully keep your mind focused and avoid getting caught up in the moment:

Make sure that the house is within your budget

Many of us require mortgage finance in order to purchase our homes and it is important that you discuss your mortgage with someone who is properly qualified. Make sure that you can afford the mortgage repayments but also the likely utility bills and council tax that you will be responsible for as a home owner. Also make sure that you know every item that is payable to purchase the property, for example Stamp Duty Land Tax is payable at variable rates on all residential properties with a purchase price of over £125,000.00 and many purchasers either do not know this or forget to factor this in to their finances.

Plans for Developing Your New Property

Often people assume that various developments can be achieved automatically however certain developments do require planning permission. A Solicitor will be able to advise when planning permission is likely to be required. He will also be able to look into the planning history of the property and tell you what sort of planning applications have been refused / accepted in the past to give you more of an idea of what you can and cannot do.

Tell your solicitor if you have any particular con

You are the purchaser and it is you that has viewed the property and decided it is right for you. If you notice anything at the property which is not quite right, for example, a damp patch or a broken window, tell your solicitor who will raise enquiries with the seller to see if the matter can be resolved or at least find out more details for you. Every house is different and unfortunately, solicitors are rarely in a position to view the property or make inspections and unless you tell them your concerns will not know to ask further questions of the seller.

Get A Survey

There are a number of levels of survey available, the cost varying between the levels. A solicitor is not an expert on buildings and what should or should not be done to keep the building safe and weatherproof etc. A survey will tell you if there are any structural problems with a property and often the likely cost of repair. It may be that a survey reveals something in the property that will deter you from the purchase completely, perhaps because a problem is too costly to remedy, at least if that happens then you know this before you part with a great deal of your hard earned money or are stuck with a house that you are unable to sell.

For more house buying information

If you require any further information, or even just a friendly chat, then please contact Mike Pepper on 01775 722261 or email mike.pepper@maplessolicitors.com or contact Claire Smith on 01775 722261 or email claire.smith@maplessolicitors.com or alternatively write to Mike or Claire at 23 New Road, Spalding, Lincolnshire PE11 1DH.

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The Will Writing Company Limited

It has been reported that The Will Writing Company Limited, whose registered office is at Ergo House, Mere Way, Ruddington Fields Business Park, Nottingham, have ceased to practise.

If you made Wills using this company then it is probably worthwhile making contact with them in order to retrieve your Wills. Once you have your Wills you may wish to make an appointment with one of the lawyers in our Wills, Lasting Power of Attorney and Probate Team in order to review your Will to ensure it still accords with your wishes. We also offer a Will storage facility which is free of charge.

To review your Will please contact one of our lawyers in the Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney and Probate Department:-

Testimonials

Gemma Mayer LLB

"I would highly recommend Maples Solicitors, especially Gemma Mayer, for any conveyancing work. The level of support and professionalism was excellent at all times. I also felt if I needed to ask or clarify anything that it was not an issue. Buying and selling a house is stressful enough, but Gemma helped me through it step by step."

Anita Toal LLB BA

"I think you are brilliant. You can use my comments above. You are efficient, friendly and quite clearly very good at what you do. Mainly you don’t leave people hanging around too long for."
"So easy to talk to her and she understood what I wanted. She put me at ease and I cant thank her enough"

Daven Naghen LLB

"Daven provided an excellent service, from attending the first interview with me to the final court appearance. He filled me full of confidence that he would defend me to which he did and come out with an excellent outcome in view of my position that I had put myself in."

Faye Blair LLB

Faye was excellent, sensitive and acted very well to the time constraints we faced. Great service and dealt with compassion at such sad times made the process less painful very professional.

Jamie Dobbs ACILEx

Over the last forty years I have cause to deal with many law firms both in a personal and professional capacity, including some ‘top’ London Companies. In all of those dealings I have never found anyone as proactive and so willing to offer help and advice as Jamie Dobbs. During the last two years Jamie guided my parents through the completion of Lasting Powers of Attorney. Helped myself with the use of the LPA and recently dealing with Probate and Estate Administration following their death.

Mike Pepper MA

This is the second time we have used Mike Pepper at Maples Solicitors in the sale of our house. We cannot praise Mike enough for the highly efficient and professional service that he has provided us with. He is by far the best solicitor we have ever worked with, and the service that he has provided us with has gone far and beyond anything we have ever experienced. We have found the whole process to be a very relaxing experience.

Claire Smith FCILEx

Claire Smith has been amazing in every way. I highly recommend her and I am so grateful for all her help. She’s professional on all levels, reliable, extremely organised and I will be recommending her to everyone. I’m very lucky to have had her representing me and I can’t thank her enough. She is an asset to Maples. Thanks so much Claire!

Anita Zaborniak

We found it a pleasure to deal with Anita Zaborniak, she was most helpful and informative and kept us up to date with the progress of the purchase of our new home. If we were to move again we wouldn’t hesitate to use Maples again.